Although the dedication ceremony took place on the anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil, the memorial statue represents all U.S. fallen troops from all military service. At least two village trustees and a Godfrey Fire Protection District trustee attended the ceremony.

"Thank you for providing the perfect place under these flags and in memory of those who've gone ahead and paid the ultimate price for us to stand here and dedicate our prayers to them," said Godfrey Rental and Storage owner Roberta Seehausen, who decided along with her store's general manager, Dion Summers, to donate the 4-foot concrete statue to the village. "It's the perfect day."

The village permanently installed the statue depicting solemn imagery of a life-size pair of combat boots, an M-16 rifle and a helmet last Friday. Godfrey Rental and Storage at 4868 Alby St. recently began carrying ornamental concrete yard items and statuary when the piece came into the shop.

McCormick accepted the gift to the village and suggested placing the statue in Glazebrook Park's Veteran's Grove under the flagpoles on Sept. 11.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is the Pearl Harbor of my lifetime, to be attacked on our own soil," McCormick said at the ceremony Tuesday.